Chapter tWo the Marpole Shelter for otherwise Doomed Dogs and puppies That’s not really its name It’s just called the Marpole Dog Shelter But we all know what happens to dogs that don’t get picked A lady in a lab coat Ms Pringle takes us inside to the kennels I’ve never seen so many dogs in one place Becky stops in front of one big cage and points I want that one Ms Pringle says That is a Great Dane dalmatian cross I think it looks like a small pony Becky’s thinking the same thing She says I could put a saddle on him I could ride him to kindergarten I could tie 444
him up to a tree and feed him hay at snack time I could No says Dad You could not All the dogs are mixtures There’s a cockapoo cocker spaniel poodle a pugapoo pug poodle and a Yorkipoo Yorkshire terrier poodle There’s also a German shepherd corgi Big mistake on short legs Then we stop outside the last cage and stare That says Ms Pringle is a whippet Jack Russell sheltie mix He’s just a puppy This one is different The other dogs are just hanging around killing time This puppy turns cartwheels and does backflips He runs around the cage Dad says If there was a canine version of Cirque du Soleil this dog would be the star turn Even though Dad has doubts the rest of us like him Mom says he has personality Dad sighs We’ll take this one he says He won’t admit it but I think Dad secretly likes our new puppy After all he’ll fit right in 5
We’re a pretty theatrical family Except for me that is Mom and Dad act in community theater Becky would like to but she’s too young We’re in the car when Mom asks What shall we call him Bagels I say Becky frowns Why not Bagel she asks There’s only one of him It just sounds better I tell her On the way home Bagels’s travel cage sits between Becky and me The cage bounces on the seat for the entire trip I think Bagels is doing an Irish jig And he howls Becky stuffs her fingers in her ears Dad says he thinks Bagels is something called hyperactive You don’t need to be Sherlock Holmes to figure that one out Maybe that’s why I like Bagels so much He’s like me At school my teacher calls me Mr Fidget 7
